The Fulbright U.S. Student Program (FUSP) is designed to give recent B.S./B.A. graduates, master’s and doctoral candidates, and young professionals and artists opportunities for personal development and international experience.
Projects can include university coursework, independent library or field research, teaching English, classes in a music conservatory or art school, special projects in the social or life sciences, or a combination.
Along with opportunities for intellectual, professional and artistic growth, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers valuable opportunities to meet and work with people of the host country, sharing daily life as well as professional and creative insights. The program promotes cross-cultural interaction and mutual understanding on a person-to-person basis in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity, and intellectual freedom.
Upcoming information sessions…
Between now and exams, we will be holding 3 info sessions for UW-Madison students (both undergrad & grad), alumni, and staff interested in learning more about all the possibilities available through the Fulbright US Student Program (FUSP) and next steps in preparing an application for the 2026-2027 award cycle!
The sessions will be held on:
- Tuesday, April 8, 2025, 5:00-6:00pm CDT via ZOOM
- Wednesday, April 16, 2025, 4:00-5:00pm CDT IN-PERSON: 260 Bascom Hall
- Thursday, May 1, 2025, 6:00-7:00pm CDT via ZOOM
Register at https://go.wisc.edu/FUSPInfoSession. Registrants for Zoom sessions will receive the link in the week prior to the scheduled program.
We will have additional programming over the summer months.
Unable to attend but want to learn more? Current UW-Madison students are invited to book an appointment through Starfish; alumni and faculty & staff can make an appointment through Calendly.
Applicants and potential applicants!! Don’t ignore the information below…
The 2026-2027 Fulbright U.S. Student Program competition opened on March 31, 2025.
UW-Madison campus deadline is 10:00am CDT, Thursday, September 11, 2025.
National deadline is 4:00pm CDT, Tuesday, October 7, 2025.
Applicants
Undergraduates, graduate students, alumni, staff
Field(s)
Research, teaching, graduate study, creative arts
Open to
U.S. citizens
Program duration
8-13 months
Award amount
Varies by country and award: all awards include round-trip airfare, overseas insurance, and a living stipend
Application deadline (2026-2027 competition)
Attachments A&B due: 10am CDT, September 4, 2025
Campus deadline: 10am CDT, September 11, 2025
National deadline: 4pm CDT, October 7, 2025
Apply
ELIGIBILTY
You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program (FUSP).
Currently enrolled UW-Madison students (both undergraduate and graduate) should select “University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI” as your selected school.
Undergraduates who will have graduated by the start of the award term and graduate students at all levels are eligible to apply for a FUSP.
UW-Madison alumni not in a graduate program at another institution are both invited and strongly encouraged to apply through the UW-Madison! Applicants do not have to be currently enrolled in an academic program to be eligible for a FUSP. Alumni interested in applying and with questions should contact Mark Lilleleht, the UW-Madison’s Fulbright Coordinator, at uwfulbright@wisc.edu or book an appointment to discuss your interest.
APPLYING
All applicants applying through UW-Madison must follow campus instructions & deadlines:
- Applicants must submit Attachments A & B by email to the Fulbright Coordinator by 10:00am CDT, Thursday, September 4, 2025.
- The deadline to mark your 2026-2027 FUSP application “ready for campus review” is 10:00am CDT, Thursday, September 11, 2025.
- The final, national deadline to submit your application to Fulbright/IIE for 2026-2027 awards is 4:00pm CDT, Tuesday, October 7, 2025.
Read and review ALL of the documents below (updated for the 2026-2027 competition):
- Read First: Quick Guide to the FUSP Application Timeline
- FUSP @ UW-Madison: Campus Instructions
- Attachments A & B (release form & interview schedule)
Each applicant is responsible for submitting a complete and correct application. Mark Lilleleht, UW-Madison’s Fulbright Coordinator, is available to answer questions about the application requirements, process, as well as comment on drafts of application essays. Email uwfulbright@wisc.edu with questions. Applicants are advised to read all instructions on the Fulbright U.S. Student Program website and the campus documents (above).
Applicants must mark their application “ready for campus review” through the FUSP application portal by the campus deadline (10:00am CDT, Thursday, September 11, 2025). Soon thereafter applications are reopened and applicants can continue to revise and edit their applications up to the national deadline. All applicants must submit the final version of their applications by the national deadline of 4pm CDT, Tuesday, October 7, 2025.
RESOURCES
We have proposals & statements (a key part of every FUSP application) of previous UW-Madison Fulbright U.S. Student Program recipients available for review. Please email Mark at uwfulbright@wisc.edu requesting access. Please be sure to indicate what award type you are interested in seeing the statements for: ETA or Research/Study/Arts.
We will be facilitating peer review groups for the 2026-2027 FUSP application cycle again. If you are interested in being matched with fellow UW-Madison FUSP applicant/s to review and provide feedback on FUSP statements and short answer questions, please email uwfubright@wisc.edu to be added to the peer review pool.
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
Any student enrolled in a Master’s or PhD program at UW-Madison during the course of their Fulbright U.S. Student Program award will have the value of the International Academic Programs graduate course fee for that period paid to them as a scholarship by the Graduate School. The UW-Madison’s Fulbright Coordinator will be responsible for notifying the Graduate School of the amount and duration of the IAP program fees for students who accept these awards.